A view from my garden in Worcester, overlooking the WRGS playing fields, and with the Malvern Hills in the distance.
An hour or so in my Worcester garden this afternoon produced my first 2 Swifts of the year, flying north up the River Severn. Also a Swallow, singing Blackcap, several Holly Blues & a Large White butterfly.
More pleasing to the eye lepidoptera were on show at the Moors Pool late morning with Holly Blues, Orange Tips, Peacocks, Commas, Speckled Woods, Green-veined & Small Whites and a striking male Brimstone strutting their stuff.😁
A female Redstart along the West track at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning was a year tick for me. 2 Grasshopper Warbler were still reeling along there - one in front of the Jacobs hide. A Common Tern was seen briefly from the Jacobs hide. No sign of the Pied Fly at the Sailing Pool. #WorcsBirds
Spotted Crake seen in front of the North Moors hide at Upton Warren this morning (12/04/26). BOC image courtesy of the finder - Nick Earl.
SPOTTED CRAKE at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning, found by Nick Earl in front of the North Moors hide. Also 2 Common Sand, 2 Avocet, 5+ Snipe, 2 Oyks, Med Gull 2s, all 3 common hirundines, Reed & Sedge Warblers plus Gropper reported reeling in front of Jacobs hide. #WorcsBirds
At #uptonwarren today:
Sailing Pool: Cmn Sand, 200+ Sand Martin, 7 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 1 Redpoll, 1 Siskin over(DJ)
Flashes: Cmn Sand, Curlew, 4 LRP, 7 Avocet, 2 Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Stonechat pr.
Moors: Med Gull 2s, Cmn Sand, Snipe, 4 Avocet, 2 Sedge & 1 Reed Warbler. #WorcsBirds
Highlights at #uptonwarren today.
Flashes: Redshank, Curlew, 4 LRP, 5 Avocet, 2 Oyks, 5 Lapwing, 10 Redpoll, Stonechat pr.
Sailing Pool: female Goosander circled but didn't land.
Moors Pool: 2s Med Gull, 6 Snipe, 2 Oyks, 2 Lapwing, Nuthatch. 12 Blackwits through as per Des Jennings.
Also of note were 16 Fieldfare that flew west over the Avocet hide and 4 Redpoll in the vicinity of the Sailing Pool. The 2s Med Gull was reported again at the Moors Pool. #uptonwarren #WorcsBirds
The Flashes at Upton Warren
A golden 10 minutes at #uptonwarren Sailing Pool this morning yielded 3 new year ticks: a drake Mandarin, 2 Swallows & a House Martin! The Mandarin soon flew but the latter two remained, with at least 8 Swallows present early afternoon. A Red Kite drifted south across the Flashes. #WorcsBirds
Fabulous shot Glenn. Are you leaving the bins at home these days?😁😉
2nd summer Mediterranean Gull at Upton Warren Moors Pool (22/03/26)
This 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull was seen at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning. A 1st winter Common Gull also graced us with its presence.
These 2 summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits were new in at #uptonwarren Flashes this morning. The Barnacle Goose of questionable origin was seen again with Canada Geese on the Sailing Pool. #WorcsBirds
Heard my first male Blackcap of the Spring in song along the Salwarpe path at #uptonwarren this morning. 7 Snipe, 2 Oyks, 1 Lapwing, Pochard pr, 4 Shelduck, 10 Gadwall, 9 Shoveler, 6 Teal plus an Otter were seen at the Moors Pool. #WorcsBirds
Little Ringed Plover at Upton Warren Flashes 08/03/26.
Saw my first Little Ringed Plover of the year at #uptonwarren Flashes this morning; present for its second day. 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew & 1 Lapwing were also present there. 6 Snipe & 2 Oyks were at the Moors Pool, and a Barnacle Goose frequented both sides of the reserve. #WorcsBirds
Also 9 Avocet, 4 Snipe, 4 Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 11 Little Egret, 6 Shelduck, 8 Shoveler, 37 Teal, Red Kite, Stonechat pr; and 2 Water Rail, 2 Cetti's, Siskin from Hen Brook hide. #uptonwarren #WorcsBirds
The first Mediterranean Gull of the year was at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning. Also 5 Shelduck, 5 Pochard, Oystercatcher pr. At the Flashes: a brief Jack Snipe, 5 Common Snipe, 2 Curlew, Oyk pr. 15 Mute Swans were across the reserve plus single Chiffchaffs sang on both sides. #WorcsBirds
These 2 Black-tailed Godwits were nfy at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning, as was a brief Dunlin at the Flashes. 2 Jack Snipe with at least 10 Common Snipe at the Flashes. Also 8 Avocets, 4 Oystercatcher - pairs on both sides, 3 Curlew, 8 Pochard, 4 Shelduck, 4 Redpoll, Stonechat. #WorcsBirds
Some film of the 10 Avocet at #uptonwarren Flashes this morning plus one of the 4 Oystercatcher seen across the reserve. Also 5 Snipe, 3 Curlew, 2 Shelduck, 8 Shoveler, 17 Teal, 6 Little Egret. 6 Pochard at were the Moors Pool #WorcsBirds
At #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning: 2 Oystercatcher, 5 Snipe, 114 Lapwing, 2 Shelduck, 7 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 40 Teal, 2 GC Grebe, Little Grebe, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk.
2 Avocets at #uptonwarren Flashes this morning were new for the year for me. Also 8 Curlew, 7 Little Egret south, 4 Shelduck, 8 Teal, Stonechat pr, 2 Redpoll, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 30+ Redwing, Fieldfare.
Our wintering flock of 5 Curlew.
Ringed bird (N9).
Ringed bird (N9)
The wintering flock of Curlew (down to just 5 now!) at #uptonwarren Moors Pool inc tagged bird N9. Also Oystercatcher, 330 Lapwing, 40+ Snipe, 7 Pochard, Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 30 Teal, 2 Peregrine, 15 Siskin, Stonechat m, 60+ Linnet. #WorcsBirds
A first Oystercatcher of the year was at #uptonwarren this morning. Seen at the Moors Pool it flew to the Flashes, which also held 5 Curlew, drake Wigeon, 3 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, Stonechat. Little Egret, GC Grebe, Little Grebe at the Sailing Pool. 6 Pochard reported on the Moors Pool. #Worcsbirds
2 female Pochard were at the Flashes this morning and 2 drakes were on the Sailing Pool with 2 GC Grebes. A Treecreeper was also at the Sailing Pool, with another one seen along the causeway at the Moors Pool. A Shelduck was at the Moors Pool.
54 Snipe, 5 Curlew, 300+ Lapwing, 6 Pochard, Stonechat pr the highlights at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning. 16 Siskin & 11 Redpoll were in alders and silver birch at the Flashes, plus my first Great Crested Grebe of the year on the Sailing Pool. #WorcsBirds
22 Snipe, 335 Lapwing, Pochard pr, 12 Shoveler, 54 Teal, 3 Gadwall, 3 Little Egret, 2 Water Rail, 10 Redpoll, 3 Siskin, Stonechat m, Grey Wagtail, Redwings & Fieldfares best at a 60% frozen Moors Pool this morning. 54 species noted. #uptonwarren #WorcsBirds
A 90% frozen Moors Pool at Upton Warren.
At 0800 it was -7°C at #uptonwarren with c90% of the Moors Pool frozen. Despite this, year ticks came in the shape of a Common Gull(ad winter) in the roost & a Jack Snipe in Amy's Marsh early pm (per Matt Smith). Also 10 Snipe, 320+ Lapwing, Pochard(f), 16 Shoveler, 2 Treecreeper, 3 Mistle Thrush.
Some video of the 8 Egyptian Geese which spent about 15 minutes at #uptonwarren Moors Pool this morning before flying towards the Flashes. This is the most I've seen on site at any one time. The record stands at 14 on 24/11/2019. #WorcsBirds
I'll buy you a pint if you don't delete it at some point during 2026. Happy New Year🍻
6 Otters in 2 groups of 3 were at the Moors Pool at #uptonwarren this morning - I've never seen more than 4 at one time here! 314 Lapwing, 15 Snipe, 5 Curlew, Pochard(f)), 2 Shelduck, 8 Shoveler & 4 Gadwall were the avian highlights. #WorcsBirds
Merry Christmas to all Upton Warren birders and volunteers. #uptonwarren #WorcsBirds
